1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print system wherein a digital camera and a printer are functionally connected one to another so as to perform operations while communicating with each other, and the printer and the digital camera, making up the system, and particularly to a technique wherein a secondary battery employed for the digital camera can be charged by supplying power thereto from the printer with the user being enabled to monitor the state of the secondary battery using display means of the digital camera.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, various proposals have been made with regard to a print system formed of a digital still camera for recording electronic digital image data obtained by performing photoelectric conversion for an optical image into an digital image, and an image printing device (which will be referred to as “printer” hereafter) such as a printer or the like for printing an image on a printing paper sheet, which has been formed from digital data which has been taken and recorded by an image input device such as a digital still camera or the like (which will be referred to as “digital camera” hereafter).
The present applicant has earlier made a proposal for a print system formed of a digital camera and a printer for printing an image taken by the digital camera, as disclosed in Japanese unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-200850, and the like. The means disclosed in this Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-200850 has a configuration wherein an image corresponding to image data which is selected to be printed is displayed with a display unit on the digital camera so that the user can confirm the image, and the image data corresponding to the image thus confirmed is transmitted to the printer. Such a configuration enables operations such as selection and confirmation of an image which is to be printed, and printing of the user-desired image, to be easily performed in a sure manner.
Furthermore, the present applicant has proposed a technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-80174, and the like. An arrangement disclosed in this Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-80174 has a configuration wherein a remaining battery power measuring circuit is included for measuring the remaining battery power required for determining whether or not the battery of the digital camera is dead (which will be also referred to as “low-battery state” hereafter), and in the event that the remaining battery power is determined to be smaller than a predetermined level (low battery level) required for performing operations of the digital camera (in the event that a low battery state is detected), the print processing which is being performed at that time is stopped, as well as switching off the power source of the digital camera so as to prevent unexpected trouble.
Furthermore, the present applicant has proposed a technique wherein a digital camera is charged by a dedicated charger, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-86651, and the like. With the means disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-86651, the aforementioned charger has a configuration wherein even in the event that a camera cannot perform operations due to low voltage of a secondary battery employed in the digital camera, the operations such as output of recording image data to an external device or the like can be immediately performed without waiting for completion of charge of the secondary battery up to a predetermined voltage level sufficient for the camera performing operations, thereby improving availability thereof. That is to say, the aforementioned charger has a configuration wherein upon the charger being connected to the digital camera, the charger charges the secondary battery of the camera, as well as directly supplying electric power to the digital camera so as to enable the digital camera to be perform the operations such as output of recording image data, or the like.
Furthermore, the present applicant has proposed display means for displaying various kinds of information with regard to a digital camera such as information with regard to the charging state of the battery, information with regard to image taking, or the like, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-66658, and the like. The aforementioned means disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-66658 is a system formed of a digital camera and a charger, wherein the system includes first display means for displaying information with regard to the charging state of the digital camera, and second display means for displaying the information with regard to image taking operations of the digital camera, and the digital camera has a configuration wherein the aforementioned first display means and second display means are disposed on the same window portion of a casing of the digital camera, thereby enabling clear display for notifying the charging state at the user-desired time according to the user-operation for the digital camera, without display means included in the charger. Thus, the above-described system has the advantage of preventing user error in charging operations, as well as improving ease of use.